Edward n



E. N. JACOBI.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR-26. 191s.

1, 4.18,376. P tenwmne 6,1922.

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1' ATTOIQNEX UNITED STATES- PATENT"OFFICE.

EDWARD n. JACOBI, or MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin", ASS-IGNOR TO BR-IGesas'rRA'rTon COMPANY, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A: conronarron or WISCONSIN.

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Specification of Letters went. P tented June 6, 1922.

Application filed April 26, 1919.5 Serial No. 292,836.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD; N. JAooBI, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County,- isconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in SWltChGSyOf which the following is a description, reference being had'to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to switches suitable for use on the instrument board of automobiles for controlling electric lighting-but capable of other uses and has for gits'object to improve the appearance of the switch front by providing contrastingcountersunk surfaces of different ornamental finish and by avoiding the aresence of screw hea-ds rivets or other attac ing means on thefront.

Another object of the'i-nvention is t'o'sime plify the construction and reduce the-cost of manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to avoid the use of connecting means relying on screw threads in insulating material for the screws which hold the parts together. I

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the switch as here in claimed and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in different views:

Fig. 1 is a front View of a switch constructed in accordance withthis invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view thereof on the plane of line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 41 is a sectional view of the switch case, and tapped ring and the index plate separated; Fig. his a plan view of the tapped-ring;

Fig; 6 is a perspective connecting studs.

In these drawings 10 indicates a switch handle which has a circular base provided view of one of the with a reduced annular shoulder 11 rotatably fitting in the central opening of a disk-' shaped dial plate 12. The dial plate 12 has its outer edge turned downwardly to form a-flange-13, as seen in Fig. 4, and extensions of this flange at regular intervals form downwardly projecting cars '14;

The shallow cylindrical switch case 15 has an.outwar'dly'extending flange 16 provided with openings 17 to receive the ears 1.4, while the flange-13 'of'the dial plate bears on the flange 16. The outer edge of the flange 16 turns upwardly around the flange 13 to a distance above the level of the dial plate and then curves downwardly and outwardly to form an ornamental beaded rim or bezel 18, the edge of which extends below the level of the flange 16 to bear against the front ofthe instrument board or cowl dash--19 of the automobile. The dial plate is thus countersunk within the bezel of the switch case and is secured in place by having the ears 1 1*bent over beneath the flange 16 aft'er'passing through the opening 17. The switch case lies within a circular opening of the instrument board or dash 19 and in diametrically opposite notches or grooves of this opening are fitted connecting studs 20 which pass through openings in the switch case flange 16 with their-heads confined between said flange and the dial plate 12. The heads of the connecting studs 20 have a flat surface at one side thereof fitting against theflange 13 of the dial plate, as shown 'in Fig. 2, to prevent their turning while nuts threaded on the ends of the studs serve to clamp the switch case in place.

A tapped ring 21, which may be a complete ring or the segment of a ring, as shown, and which is preferably bent to shape from a straight strip of sheet metal, has its outer edge fitting between the switch case flange l6 and the dial plate 12 with notches 22 therein to receive the heads of the connecting studs 2O and'has its inner edge slightly dished to space it from the dial plate and tapped to receive screws 23 which clamp a disk-shaped terminal head 24 of insulating material against the inturned lower edge 25 of the switch case. are contact studs 26 engaged by the arms of a contact spider 27 carried by handle 10, and other contacts 28 engaged by a contact plate 29 to constitute a switch structure the In the terminal: head 24 details of which form no part of the present case.

A thrust plate 30 secured to the handle a short distance below the shoulder 11 bears against the bottom surface of the dial plate to prevent withdrawal of the handle.

The switch handle 10 may turn in the dial plate for operating the switch, and suitable names or other marks 31 on the dial plate indicate the condition of the switch as to the circuit connections established, when the handle points thereto.

In order to determine the position of the terminal head 2a with respect to the other parts, it is provided with irregularly posi tioned notches 33 in which fit correspondingly positioned lugs 32 projecting downwardly from the inturned lower edge of the switch case. The lugs and notches are so arranged that they will only fit together when the terminal head is in its correct position.

The switch casing of this invention permits of the bezel 18 and the dial plate 31 being provided with their ornamental finish before assembling, making it easy to provide contrasting finished surfaces as when the bezel and handle are nickelplated and the dial plate is given a black finish. Furthermore, it dispenses entirely with the presence of screw heads, rivet heads, or other connecting means appearing on the front of the switch. The connecting studs are, however, securely connected to the switch case and are held from turning in the manner above explained, so that the switch casing may be firmly clamped in place thereby. Instead of fitting the terminal head of insulating material within the switch case, as heretofore, and relying on screw threads in the insulating material for connecting the screws to clamp them together, the terminal head is positioned outside of the switch case and is clamped thereagainst by the screws 23 threading into the tapped ring 21 bearing against the other end of the switch case. This not only produces a structure inexpensive to manufacture but makes the device stronger and more durable.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a switch, a switch case having a countersunk flange forming a finished bezel, a plate fitting within the countersunk portion of the switch case flange and fixed thereto and provided with a finished front surface, and a switch handle movably fitting within an opening in the plate.

52'. In a switch, a cylindrical switch case having a shouldered countersunk annular flange at its end shaped to form a bezel, a disk having a downwardly turned edge fitting within the shoulder of the flange, ears projecting from the downwardly turned edge of the disk and passing. through open ings in the flange and clinched thereto, and a switch handle mounted in an opening of the disk.

3. In a switch, a cylindrical switch case having an outwardly extending annular flange at its end countersunk to form a shoulder, a disk having downwardly turned edges fitting within the shoulder of the flange and provided with ears passing through openings in the flange and clinched beneath the flange, connecting studs passing through openings of the flange with heads confined between the flange and the disk, and having fiat sides bearing against the edge of the disk to prevent their turning, and a switch handle mounted in an opening of the disk. 7

4. In a switch, a cylindrical switch case having an outwardly extending annular flange at one end countersunk to form a shoulder, a disk fitting within the shoulder of the flange and provided with lugs passing through openings in the flange and clinched beneath the flange, a ring engaged between the flange and the disk, a terminal head bearing against the other end of the switch case, screws passing through the terminal head and threading inthe ring, and a switch handle mounted in an opening of the disk.

5. In a switch, a cylindrical switch case having an outwardly extending annular flange at one end countersunk to form a shoulder, a disk with downwardly turned edges fitting within a shoulder of the flange and provided with cars passing through openings in the flange and clinched beneath the flange, a ring fitting between the flange and the disk and provided with notches in its edges, a terminal head bearing against the other end of the switch case, screws passing through the terminal head and threading in the ring, connecting studs passing through openings in the flange and provided with heads contained within the notches of the ring with flat sides bearing against the edge of the disk, and a switch handle mounted in an opening of the disk.

6. In a switch, a cylindrical switch case having an annular flange at one end countersunk to form a shoulder, a disk fitting within the shoulder of the flange, a clamping means between the flange and the disk projecting within the switch case, lugs projecting from the other end of the switch case, a terminal head bearing against said other end of the switch case and provided with openings to receive the lugs, and screws passing through the terminal head and engaging the clamping means.

7. In a switch, a switch case having a shouldered countersunk flange at its end shaped to form a bezel, a plate having an edge fittingwithin a shoulder of the flange, ears projecting from the edge of the disk switch handle movably fitting within an opening in the plate.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD. N. JACOBI.

Witnesses:

R. S. C. CALDWELL, H. D. CHASE. 

